The Winnipeg Jets have signed newly acquired forward Gabriel Vilardi to a two-year contract, avoiding arbitration. The deal is worth an average annual value of $3.4735 million, which is great value for the Jets.
After being the centerpiece of the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, the Jets were able to sign the up-and-coming star winger to a very reasonable deal. Vilardi, who is only 23 years old, is coming off of a strong campaign where he scored 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games with the Los Angeles Kings. The expectation is that Vilardi still has another step to take with his game. Not only is he an offensive threat, but he can play a good two-way game as well.
Vilardi will be an immediate impact on the Jets’ forward group as they are now without two of their top five point scorers from last season in Dubois and Blake Wheeler. While the team lacks center depth, they might have the best group of wingers in the league. Vilardi will have the chance to play with either Kyle Connor or Nikolaj Ehlers this upcoming season, which will benefit him and the team greatly.
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Signing a short-term deal makes sense for Vilardi. He still has a lot to prove before he can cash in on a bigger deal. A strong year with 60 or more points, provided he can stay healthy, will be crucial for him to have during this short deal.
Vilardi Fits Jets Top-Six Perfectly
The Jets have been an offence-first team that relied on goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for the last half-decade, or so. Vilardi plays an excellent defensive game on top of his shot-first mentality. The expectation is that he will line up with Connor and Mark Scheifele on the top line, and will be in an opportunity to score a lot of points, but also showcase how important he can be on the backcheck.
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Under the Rick Bowness era of the Jets, the team, mostly the forwards, has been publicly criticized by the coach for their lack of defensive play and sense of urgency. Vilardi is destined to become one of the coach’s favorites.
However, the top right-wing position is Ehlers to take. Therefore, Vilardi will receive second-line duties and play with Cole Perfetti, who is another youngster looking to break out with the team. As mentioned, the winger depth on this team is tremendous, and with other players like Alex Iafallo and Adam Lowry, Vilardi won’t just be in a defensive role with the team.
During his time with the Kings, he bounced around the lineup a bit, finishing the season averaging third-line minutes. In a bigger role, Vilardi has the opportunity to earn a big payday in two years.
The Jets have approximately $3.8 million in cap space remaining with Logan Stanley and Rasmus Kupari to sign, so they have a bit of flexibility if they want to add to their center depth to maximize the opportunity of their wingers. That being said, they are in a position where they can rely on the strong group while waiting for some center prospects to make the jump if they need to.